14 September 2013
Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross
Today we celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. Twentieth-century theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar emphasized that the Cross is supremely beautiful. Surely the Cross has captivated and inspired centuries of Christians. Yet what makes the Cross so beautiful? In the Cross, we see how much God loves us. Amazingly, God would have gone to such excruciating lengths for a single soul. Even if you were the only person on earth, He would have died just for you. Of course, he died at our hands, and in this we can perceive the extreme humility of God’s Heart. If I am blamed for something that I did not cause (such as spilling something), I bristle to offer a defense. Yet Christ suffered the consequences of our sins, going in the opposite direction of our pride. St. Paul tells us that “though he was in the form of God,” Jesus went about “taking the form of a slave,” enduring “even death on a cross.”
For our reflection today, I propose two brief meditations. First, find a crucifix or painting of the Crucifixion (Google Images works well for this) and contemplate the supreme beauty of the Cross. Bask in this love of God poured out for you. Second, replace the word “world” with your own baptismal name, in the following Scripture: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son.” Indeed, the Cross is proof that we “mean the world” to God. In turn, let us worship Christ as we exalt His most holy and beautiful Cross.